1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a mechanism for externally controlling a recliner assembly used to selectively lock the angular position of a seat back relative to a seat cushion of an automotive seat, and more particularly, to a mechanism which holds the recliner assembly in an unlocked state while seat back is moved between one of a plurality of reclined positions and a stowed cargo position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automotive vehicles include seat assemblies for supporting an occupant in the vehicle. A typical seat assembly comprises a seat cushion and a seat back interconnected to the seat cushion by a recliner assembly. The recliner assembly allows pivotal adjustment of the seat back relative to the seat cushion between a plurality of reclined positions.
Recliner assemblies are well known in the vehicle seating art and are commonly used to pivotally connect a seat back to a seat cushion. Recliner assemblies commonly include a fixed flange secured to the seat cushion and a mobile flange secured to the seat back. The mobile flange is pivotally coupled to the fixed flange. A locking mechanism selectively locks the fixed and mobile flanges. An input shaft is pivotally journaled to the locking mechanism for actuating the locking mechanism between locked and unlocked states. Typically a release handle extends radially from the input shaft to allow a user to manually actuate the locking mechanism, in order to adjust the angular position of the seat back.
It is often desirable to have a seat assembly with a seat back that is moveable from a reclined seating position to a forwardly stowed position to extend the cargo carrying capacity of the vehicle. Recliner assemblies known in the art are easily adapted to allow such adjustment of the seat back. However, the user typically must maintain the recliner assembly in the unlocked state manually with the release handle throughout adjustment of the seat back between one of the reclined seating positions and the stowed position. An example of such a recliner assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,481, which issued to Robinson on Feb. 17, 1998.
Therefore, it remains desirable to provide a mechanism for externally controlling the recliner assembly that allows the seat back to be adjusted between the plurality of reclined seating positions and the stowed position without further need to manually maintain the recliner assembly in the unlocked state.